Andrew j



(No Model.) v

, A. J. MAR-TIN.4

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING GRAIN AND FERTILlZBRS.-

l-(My'llf Patented Nov.' 18, 1884.

WITNESSES' .le -lNvENToR i Wi@ .Hzrewlarfn %5W @JWM 'ff/W PETKRS. Pnotwumugnpher, washington. D. CA

Sterns Unire ANDREV J. MARTIN, OF MECHANICSBURG, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MECHANICSBURG MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING GRAIN AND FERTELIZERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 308,271, dated November 18, 188e.

Application filed March 24, 18S-i. (No model.)

' and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Distributing Grain and Fertilizers, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in devices for distributing grain, &c.,

of the class shown in United States Letters Patent No. 295,655, granted March 25,1884, for improvements of my invention.

In accordance with my present improvements I employ, as before broadly considered, rotating feed-wheels arranged in pairs in sectional feed-cups, in which they have bearings, and set obliquely to their driving-shaft, the two sides or similar sections of each feed-cup being arranged obliquely to the driving-shaft to correspond with the inclination of the feedwheels of a pair, the faces or feeding-surfaces of the feed wheels approaching each other closely below their shaft and diverging npwardly inthe manner and for the purpose fully explained in the above specified patent.

My objects are to dispense with the beforeemployed toothed gearing for connecting the feed-wheels with their driving-shaft, and to generally simplify and cheapen the construction of the apparatus and render it strong and durable.

The accompanying drawings show only those features illustration of which, aided by reference to the before-mentioned patent, if necessary, is thought to be needed to convey a proper understanding of the invention herein claimed.

Figure l is a plan view with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a rearelevation with parts broken away. Fig. 8 is a view partly in rear elevation and partly in vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, one of thefeed-cup side sections and one of the feed-wheels being shown as detached. Fig. 4 is a vertical'section on the line 4 4i of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of one of the feed-wheels and its socketed joint for connecting it with the drivingshaft, the bearing-lug for one of the trunnions of the joint being in section. v

v Each sectional casing or feed-cup for a pair of feed-wheels is secured in appropriate way side sections.

to the bottom of a suitable hopper or supply-box, yand beneath an opening therein, each cup being so formed as to approximate an inverted cone in shape when viewed from front or rear, the two sides or similar sections, A A', of the cup being inclined and converging from top to bottom. A central or intermediate section, B, of the feedcup is made widest at top and gradually narrowed toward the bottom, and fits between the two side sections. It will thus be seen that each feed-cup (any desired number of which are to be used) is made in three parts-two side sections and an intermediate section-and that the side sections are precisely alike.

As shown, the feed-cup is perforated at the corners of its side sections (see Fig. l) to provide for securing the cup to the hopper-bottom by screws; and each side section is centrally open and constitutes a feed-wheel bearing, the details of construction being as follows: An inwardly-projecting annular flange,

a, surrounding the central circular opening in a side section, is beveled at its inner edge to provide a bearing-surface, c, for either feedwheel of the pair C C of these wheels, which are to be in turn fully described. The annular flanges a, together with shoulders d of the side sections of the cup, form seats or supports for securing the intermediate section, B, of the cup in place, this section being formed with annular iianges b at its opposite sides, which surround its side openings and iit about the flanges c and against the shoulders d of the At bottom the side sections and the intermediate section are perforated for a bolt, D,which passes through them, and is provided with a nut to clamp the parts together. The intermediate section of the feedcupK is open at top to admit the grain, &c., from the hopper to the cup, and the anges b, which surround the side openings of this section, are formed at their junction with the main portion or body of the section with inwardly-projecting shoulders e, constituting bearing flanges for the feed wheels. As shown, these bearings c do not extend wholly about the side openings of the section B, or entirely around the inside of this section, the feed-wheels being in this instance arranged so closely together at bottom as not to leave room IOO tion of the intermediate section.

' tend entirely around the side openings of the wheel at the time of casting the wheel.

intermediate section of the feed-cup.

At the rear of the feed-cup a dischargeopening, E, is provided between the opposite iianges, b, of the section B; but at all other points, except at top, this section is closed `from side to side, for obvious purpose.

A guard-ring or interior casing, F, and a guard-plate, G, having the side shoulders, g g, shaped to fit against or close to the f'aces of the feed-wheels, are formed together and in one piece with the intermediate section of the feed-cup. The guard-plate G closes the space between the opposite flanges of the section B, above the discharge-opening E, for an obvious purpose, and the casing F surrounds the driving-shaft H, thus, in connection with parts above described, completing the feed-cup.

Each inclined or diagonally-arranged feedwheel C has an annular opening at its center, through which the driving-shaft passes loosely or without touching the wheel, andthis central opening is surrounded by an inwardly-proj ecting annular bearing flange or hub, I, which works in bearing contact with the contiguous edge of the guard-ring or interior casing, F. The wheels are formed with suitable feedingsurfaces, as before, and at their peripheries the wheels are formed, as shown, to workin contact with their bearings a, formed by the side sections, and the bearings e, formed by the intermediate section. The feed-wheels are thus most firmly supported without cramping or binding, being embraced at their peripheries on opposite sides.

The driving-shaft II, passing freely or without contact through a series of feed-cups and their feed-wheels, and having the sides of the cups and the wheels arranged diagonally to it, as clearly shown, has universally-jointed connection with the feed-wheels, instead of gearing connection with them, as before.

As shown, the universal-joint connection of the driving-shaft and feed-wheels is as follows: A square driving-shaft is employed, and each feed-wheel is provided with a socketed joint, J, the two trunnions 7c k of the joint being pivotally secured in bearing-lugs K K of the The size of the socket or opening through the joint between its diametrically-opposite sides l Z about corresponds with or but slightly eX- ceeds the transverse dimension of the shaft, these sides of the socket being parallel with each other. In orden to allow the requisite play of the joint relative to the shaft in the direction at right angles to the play provided for by the trunnion attachment of the joint to the feed-wheel, each of the two remaining sides of the socket is doubly inclined, the inclines m a of each of these sides extending toward the opposite ends of the socket from a peak or ridge, o. The distance between the ridges o o of the opposite sides of the socket about corresponds with or but very slightly exceeds the transverse dimension of the shaft, while the distance between the inclined portions of the sides increases from the ridges toward the opposite ends of the socket.

From the above construction it will be seen that the joints can play about the horizontal shaft to the full extent required to provide for the free rotation of the feed-wheels of the respective pairs about their axes, which are inclined in opposite directions to the shaft, and that by the employment ofthe joints described, or equivalent universaljoints, a much simpler, stronger, and cheaper connection is made between the shaft and inclined wheels than before.

It is obvious that the driving-shaft, instead of being square or of equivalent polygonal shape in cross-section.throughout its entire length, may be so shaped or provided with collars at proper intervals in its length as to adapt it for properly connecting with the joints and be made round elsewhere, if preferred.

To insure a proper discharge at the opening E by preventing .arching or packing of the grain, 85e., between the feed-wheels at rear,

clearing-ngers l? P are provided. These fingers, two for each pair of wheels, are shown as formed by a bent or doubled wire secured at its bend in two holes in the rearwardlyproj ectig top portion of the intermediate section of the feed-cup. The wire is bent so as to clamp it in place and the fingers bear at their lower or free ends against the feedingsurfaces of the wheels at rear, and operate as will readily be understood. The fingers bear yieldingly or with spring-pressure against the feed-wheels, and wear ofthe points of the fingers is thus compensated.

I claim as of my own invention- 1. The combination of the driving-shaft, the pair of feed-wheels arranged obliquely thereto and converging from top to bottom, and the universally-jointed connections between the feed-wheels and driving-shaft, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the feed-cup, the oblique feed-wheels, the driving-shaft, and the joints connecting the driving-shaft and feed-wheels.

3. l'lhe combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the feed-cup of approximately inverted-cone shape, the oblique feedwheels having their bearings in the feed-cup, the square driving-shaft, and the joints by which it has connection with the feed-wheels.

4. The three-part sectional feed-cup of approximately inverted-cone shape, consisting of the centrally-open similar side sections and the intermediate open-sided section secured between them and having the open top, the rear discharge-opening, the interior casing or guard-ring, and the guard-plate, substantiall y as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

IOO

IIO

5. The combination of the centrally-open side sections of the feed-cup, having the inwardly-proj ecting annular flanges a and shoulders d, and the intermediate section of the feedcup, open at its sides, and having the annular flanges tting about the Aflanges and against the shoulders of the side sections, vsubstantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

6. rlhe combination of the centrally-open side sections of the fecd-cup,having the anges a and the shoulders d, the intermediate section of the feed-cup, having the flanges surrounding its side openings and the inwardlyprojecting bearing-flanges e, and the feed- Wheels having their peripheral bearings bctween the anges ofthe side sections and the bearing-flanges of the intermediate section, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

7. The combinationof the feed-cup of approximately inverted-cone shape, the diagonally-arranged feed-wheels, the joints/pivotally attached by their trunnions to thefeed; wheels, and having sockets provided with the ridges and inclines at opposite sides, and the driving-shaft, these members being and operating substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

8. The combination of the sectional feedcup, the diagonally-arranged feed-wheels, and the wire clearing-fingers secured to the intermediate section of the feed-cup and acting on the feedwheels at rear, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

9. The combination of the feed-wheel having the bearing-lugs, and the socketed joint provided with two trunnions pivotally secured in said bearing-lugs, and having the parallel sides Z Z, and the sides provided with the ridges, and the inelines extending from the ridges toward opposite ends of the socket, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

10. rlhe joint provided with the two trunnions and having the socket formed withA the parallel sides and the doubly-inclined sides, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed lnyname.

ANDREV J. MARTIN.

Vitnesses:

T. E. SHEPHERD, HENRY VEAvER. 

